Are you a compulsive snacker? The World Health Organization estimates that by 2025 there will be more than 2 billion adults who will be overweight and 700 million who will be obese. Faced with this status, researchers are continually looking for ways to better understand the risk factors associated with obesity.

In this context, a research led by the department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the University of Navarra, published in the journal "Clinical Nutrition", sample through a longitudinal study that the habit of snacking between meals is associated with an increased risk of developing obesity. The study involved 10,162 university graduates with an age of 39 years average . They were followed for more than 4.5 years and their dietary habits were assessed by means of a 136-item questionnaire , previously validated in Spain. Weight and body mass index were collected at the beginning of the study and at successive follow-up periods.

Those participants who used to snack between meals had a significantly higher risk of gaining weight than those who did not. In fact, they had a 69% higher risk of becoming obese during follow-up.

The foods targeted by this habit were mainly high-energy snacks such as cold meats, chocolate, industrial pastries and sugary soft drinks. These snacks can contribute to an extra daily energy intake of 140 to 300 calories per food, so consuming just a few of them can clearly lead to an increase in body weight. To reduce the risk, "snackers should consider healthier alternatives such as a handful of nuts or a fresh fruit," says Dr. Maira Bes-Rastrollo, first author of report. This study is part of the project SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra), coordinated from the School of Medicine of the University of Navarra and in which other universities from all over Spain also collaborate.

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